Policy responses to hepatitis C in the Nordic countries: Gaps and discrepant reporting in the Hep-Nordic study

Background and aims: In the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden), the prevalence of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is relatively low in the general population, but is much higher among people who inject drugs (PWID). We conducted an exploratory study to investigate...

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Autores: Safreed-Harmon, Kelly, Hetherington, Kristina L., Aleman, Soo, Alho, Hannu, Dalgard, Olav, Frisch, Tove, Gottfredsson, Magnus, Weis, Nina, Lazarus, Jeffrey V., Hep-Nordic Study Group
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2018
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/121180
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/121180
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Hepatitis C
Escandinàvia
Scandinavia
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spelling Policy responses to hepatitis C in the Nordic countries: Gaps and discrepant reporting in the Hep-Nordic studySafreed-Harmon, KellyHetherington, Kristina L.Aleman, SooAlho, HannuDalgard, OlavFrisch, ToveGottfredsson, MagnusWeis, NinaLazarus, Jeffrey V.Hep-Nordic Study GroupHepatitis CEscandinàviaHepatitis CScandinaviaBackground and aims: In the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden), the prevalence of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is relatively low in the general population, but is much higher among people who inject drugs (PWID). We conducted an exploratory study to investigate the extent to which these countries have policies supporting key elements of the public health response that is necessary to achieve the global goal of eliminating HCV as a public health threat. Methods: Fourteen stakeholders representing government agencies, medical societies, and civil society organisations (CSOs) in the Nordic countries completed a cross-sectional online survey that included 21 policy questions related to national coordination, prevention, testing, linkage to care, and treatment. We summarised the findings in a descriptive analysis, and noted discrepant responses from stakeholders within the same country. Results:Stakeholders reported that three of the five study countries have national viral hepatitis strategies, while only Iceland has a national HCV elimination goal. The availability of harm reduction services varies, with opioid substitution therapy provided for the general population throughout all countries, but not needle and syringe programmes. No country has access to anonymous HCV testing in all parts of the country. National HCV treatment guidelines are available in all countries except Finland, and all countries provide publicly funded direct-acting antiviral treatment. Disagreement regarding policies was observed across countries, and CSOs were the stakeholder group that most frequently answered survey questions incorrectly. Conclusion: The Nordic region as a whole has not consistently expressed its commitment to tackling HCV, despite the existence of large HCV epidemics among PWID in these countries. Stakeholder alignment and an established elimination goal with an accompanying strategy and implementation plan should be recognised as the basis for coordinated national public health efforts to achieve HCV elimination in the Nordic region and elsewhere.Public Library of Science (PLoS)2018info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/121180Articles publicats en revistes (ISGlobal)reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UBinstname:Universidad de BarcelonaInglésReproducció del document publicat a: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0190146PLoS One, 2018, vol. 13, num. 1, p. e0190146http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0190146cc by (c) Safreed Harmon et al., 2018http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/1211802026-05-27T06:46:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Policy responses to hepatitis C in the Nordic countries: Gaps and discrepant reporting in the Hep-Nordic study
title Policy responses to hepatitis C in the Nordic countries: Gaps and discrepant reporting in the Hep-Nordic study
spellingShingle Policy responses to hepatitis C in the Nordic countries: Gaps and discrepant reporting in the Hep-Nordic study
Safreed-Harmon, Kelly
Hepatitis C
Escandinàvia
Hepatitis C
Scandinavia
title_short Policy responses to hepatitis C in the Nordic countries: Gaps and discrepant reporting in the Hep-Nordic study
title_full Policy responses to hepatitis C in the Nordic countries: Gaps and discrepant reporting in the Hep-Nordic study
title_fullStr Policy responses to hepatitis C in the Nordic countries: Gaps and discrepant reporting in the Hep-Nordic study
title_full_unstemmed Policy responses to hepatitis C in the Nordic countries: Gaps and discrepant reporting in the Hep-Nordic study
title_sort Policy responses to hepatitis C in the Nordic countries: Gaps and discrepant reporting in the Hep-Nordic study
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Safreed-Harmon, Kelly
Hetherington, Kristina L.
Aleman, Soo
Alho, Hannu
Dalgard, Olav
Frisch, Tove
Gottfredsson, Magnus
Weis, Nina
Lazarus, Jeffrey V.
Hep-Nordic Study Group
author Safreed-Harmon, Kelly
author_facet Safreed-Harmon, Kelly
Hetherington, Kristina L.
Aleman, Soo
Alho, Hannu
Dalgard, Olav
Frisch, Tove
Gottfredsson, Magnus
Weis, Nina
Lazarus, Jeffrey V.
Hep-Nordic Study Group
author_role author
author2 Hetherington, Kristina L.
Aleman, Soo
Alho, Hannu
Dalgard, Olav
Frisch, Tove
Gottfredsson, Magnus
Weis, Nina
Lazarus, Jeffrey V.
Hep-Nordic Study Group
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Hepatitis C
Escandinàvia
Hepatitis C
Scandinavia
topic Hepatitis C
Escandinàvia
Hepatitis C
Scandinavia
description Background and aims: In the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden), the prevalence of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is relatively low in the general population, but is much higher among people who inject drugs (PWID). We conducted an exploratory study to investigate the extent to which these countries have policies supporting key elements of the public health response that is necessary to achieve the global goal of eliminating HCV as a public health threat. Methods: Fourteen stakeholders representing government agencies, medical societies, and civil society organisations (CSOs) in the Nordic countries completed a cross-sectional online survey that included 21 policy questions related to national coordination, prevention, testing, linkage to care, and treatment. We summarised the findings in a descriptive analysis, and noted discrepant responses from stakeholders within the same country. Results:Stakeholders reported that three of the five study countries have national viral hepatitis strategies, while only Iceland has a national HCV elimination goal. The availability of harm reduction services varies, with opioid substitution therapy provided for the general population throughout all countries, but not needle and syringe programmes. No country has access to anonymous HCV testing in all parts of the country. National HCV treatment guidelines are available in all countries except Finland, and all countries provide publicly funded direct-acting antiviral treatment. Disagreement regarding policies was observed across countries, and CSOs were the stakeholder group that most frequently answered survey questions incorrectly. Conclusion: The Nordic region as a whole has not consistently expressed its commitment to tackling HCV, despite the existence of large HCV epidemics among PWID in these countries. Stakeholder alignment and an established elimination goal with an accompanying strategy and implementation plan should be recognised as the basis for coordinated national public health efforts to achieve HCV elimination in the Nordic region and elsewhere.
publishDate 2018
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2018
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2445/121180
url https://hdl.handle.net/2445/121180
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Reproducció del document publicat a: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0190146
PLoS One, 2018, vol. 13, num. 1, p. e0190146
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0190146
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv cc by (c) Safreed Harmon et al., 2018
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv cc by (c) Safreed Harmon et al., 2018
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Public Library of Science (PLoS)
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Public Library of Science (PLoS)
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Articles publicats en revistes (ISGlobal)
reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
instname:Universidad de Barcelona
instname_str Universidad de Barcelona
reponame_str Dipòsit Digital de la UB
collection Dipòsit Digital de la UB
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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